EU says “yes” to airport security scanners

The European Union accepted a new set of guidelines yesterday on the use of body scanners at airports. The use of body scanners in Europe has been heavily delayed due to worries about privacy, even though many which show nude-like images of passengers are already in use in the United States and elsewhere. Even though such revealing scanners appear to be the best to address security concerns, Germany has said that it will not introduce them. Authorities testing them at Hamburg airport on passengers who volunteered criticised them for being too sensitive to dense areas like creases in suits.Under the new EU guidelines, security scanners must not store or copy images of passengers. Security staff looking at the images will be in a separate room. Passengers must know they are being scanned and have the right to choose a pat down instead. And scanners that use x-ray technology cannot be used. AP[pictured: Thruvision scan showing man concealing weapons; www.thruvision.com]